What Happens if All American Brands Are Foreign-Owned?

The last remnants of an American brand's era are fading, as U.S. Steel, once a shining embodiment of American industrial prowess, is set to be acquired by Nippon Steel of Japan in a jaw-dropping $14.1 billion merger deal. At one point in U.S. history, the very image of molten iron pouring into a basic oxygen furnace at the U.S. Steel's Granite City Works was synonymous with the transformation of America into a world superpower.

Yet, the upcoming acquisition by Nippon Steel is not the first instance of a foreign entity taking over an iconic American brand. Currently, many brands started by early American pioneers now wave international flags. This revolution is a direct result of globalization, and to better understand what companies have been affected, here are some notable examples of foreign-owned American brands:

The American Innovator: GE Appliances

Well-known American brand General Electric, founded by none other than America's genius inventor Thomas Edison, has long been seen as a symbol of America's innovative spirit. However, the GE appliances that many Americans have in their homes are now foreign-owned. The century-old appliance division was purchased by China's Haier Group in 2016 for $5.6 billion. This came as GE was struggling and needed to generate cash to alleviate an enormous amount of debt.

The Iconic American Brew: Budweiser

The red and white cans of Budweiser, along with the blue Bud Light cans, are fixtures of American social events. Founded in the U.S. in 1879 as Anheuser-Busch, the company transformed the beer industry with pioneering pasteurization technology. But, in 2008, European alcohol conglomerate InBev acquired the iconic brewery, creating Belgium-based AB InBev, which also owns other popular beer labels like Corona and Stella Artois.

Fast Food: Burger King

Burger King, the Miami-born fast-food sensation famous for its Whopper, is now a subsidiary of Canadian conglomerate Restaurant Brands International (RBI). RBI was formed through a $12.5 billion merger between Burger King and Canada-based Tim Hortons in 2014. While RBI's headquarters are in Toronto, Burger King’s functional headquarters are in Miami.

The Convenience Store Chain: 7-Eleven

With its signature Slurpee and Big Gulp drinks, 7-Eleven has become one of America's most recognized convenience store chains. However, the corner store, founded in Texas in 1927, is now owned by Seven & I Holdings, a Japanese retailer based in Tokyo.

The Neighborhood Grocer: Trader Joe’s

The popular grocery chain Trader Joe’s, known for its private label goods and competitive prices, is owned by Albrecht Discounts, the same German company that owns ALDI.

Auto Brands: Jeep, Chrysler, and Dodge

Jeep, Chrysler, and Dodge, quintessential symbols of American automotive excellence, are owned by Amsterdam-based auto giant Stellantis, formed by the merger of Italian company Fiat Group and French manufacturer PSA Group.

The Refrigeration Pioneer: Frigidaire

Frigidaire, the refrigerator appliance firm that has given Americans many firsts — from the "first self-contained refrigerator" to the "first-ever home freezer, which it originally called the 'ice cream cabinet'" — is now owned by Swedish multinational home appliance manufacturer Electrolux AB, which bought the brand in 1986.

The Ice Cream Innovators: Ben & Jerry’s

Finally, Ben & Jerry’s, famous for its creative ice cream flavors with pun-filled names, was acquired by British conglomerate Unilever in 2000.

Other examples include:

• Holiday Inn, purchased by Bass PLC, a U.K. company, owned by InterContinental Hotels Group in the U.K.
• The Chrysler Building, which has been purchased by foreign companies several times
• Alka-Seltzer, owned by Bayer AG from Germany
• Good Humor, owned by Unilever
• Gerber, owned by Nestlé, a Swiss company
• Firestone, owned by Bridgestone Corporation from Japan

While many of these brands still flaunt their American heritage, it's evident that the business world today is more globalized than ever. This trend is a testament to the power of innovation and brands, transcending borders and achieving universal appeal. As U.S. Steel prepares to join these magnates under international ownership, we are reminded that change is the only constant in the business world.

On the other side of the coin, it seems that the main focus of American companies has been on big tech foreign expansion, as seen by the growing list of foreign subsidiaries that Google owns.